Prayer is how we confess our sins
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9
I opened the door to my home. It was 4:30 a.m., much later than I had planned to be out. I hoped my children would not wake up and find me just getting home.
I vowed to make up for my sin. I planned something special for my Sunday School class. I would fix this, get things back in order. I had to!
Thoughts of my family and church friends made me shudder. What would they think of me if they discovered my secret? Everyone thought I had my life so together. How could I face them if they knew! I felt so ashamed. I felt powerless to stop what I knew in my heart was wrong. I am a hypocrite. This is the last time. I know I can stop. I know I can; I have to!
This night was not the first time I had made this vow. It was a vow I had been making more and more frequently, only to break it soon after.
Sexual addiction is a secret that has been around since biblical times. The religious community is quick to point a finger and condemn this sin, as it should be, but it has been unwilling or unable to understand the sexual sinner and offer them the help they so desperately need.
“Knowing you are a sex addict doesn’t mean you are bad or perverted or hopeless. It means that you may have a disease, an obsession from which you may be healed.” – Dr. Patrick Carne
The confession of sin comes with the desire to stop the sin. God's forgiveness does not mean there won't be consequences. If we have fellowship with the Father and with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we will walk in the light and not sin through the Word of God. The sad reality is, those of us who are saved do not always walk cautiously. God knows our shortcomings and has provided a way for us to confess and ask for forgiveness of our sins.
Confession is the acknowledgment of our sin and, with it, the desire to stop the sin. No child of God would be content to commit and live with sin. It grieves the heart of God, and it also grieves the heart of the saved person. But God is good, and He promises to cleanse the unrighteousness in our lives.
God, help me to stop hiding my sin. Forgive me for my sins and set me free! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
